New Music – Renegade Road

With the current theme of cowboys coming back into the frame through 2019, radio-friendly hits that adorn cowboy hats and spurs become more common every day. Mac DeMarco takes a new stance as he works an entire album around the word, Here Comes The Cowboy is an instantly gratifying, slow dive into the clear waters of acoustic guitars and green leaf concepts.

He begins with the self-titled track, “Here Comes The Cowboy” that draws inspiration through the horse trotting as rim snaps on the percussion as he seductively explains in this graveled, but textured whisper, “Here Comes The Cowboy…” Pulling these images that burst through the random access memory banks of dusty roads, sunsets, and a desert which are not often themes on DeMarco’s stage. He then turns into a more carefree, catchy tune on “Nobody” where his accompanying video showed the Canadian musician dawning lizard make-up and a brown, starched-style hat.

Where the iconic sound that DeMarco created can flash again is through the swaying pieces of instrumentation featured on “Nobody”. He is at the reigns as a farm gentleman that is approachable and has humility behind his voice. Describing scenes of “A done decision, another creature, who’s lost its vision. Let it go, reel it in. For the creature on television,” as these warm horns have sparks of ignition behind his vocals. Ultimately, similar to DeMarco’s other endeavors, Here Comes The Cowboy is a deeply layered record that portrays heartbreak through sound.

There is then suddenly a lively boost with “Choo Choo” that reenacts the living embodiment of a train that hustles and bustles through towns. It is this touring segue with quick strikes of the strings, a whistle that resembles a locomotive, and the bass line that is more based on funk than order. An overbearing gong also cues through the track as “Choo Choo” becomes cemented in this grand scale of power. The piece is a smooth transition from the sullen guitar work that is accustom to Here Comes The Cowboy with the replacement of a powerhouse in this sense.

“Skyless Moon” is the second-to-last track on Here Comes The Cowboy that also invokes tears through the waves of his guitar. His vocals are stressed with “more and more and more and more” that wades beyond the waters of despair, and somehow finds solace within hope. The keys behind him are quiet primarily, but find a center stage during the breaks of his vocals with a simple structure as well.

DeMarco trails off into the midnight hours with a horse-drawn posse, a six-shooter at his side, and the terrain ahead. His career has shown such promise throughout and the future can only hold high regard for the urban cowboy that became DeMarco’s experiences.